The X Factor USA Top 12 was revealed on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 after five contestants were sent home, as fans will be allowed to vote for their favorite, via Facebook and Twitter, starting next week.

Image Credit: TheXFactorUSA.com

As featured on Fox that night, the X Factor USA top 17 contestants were trimmed down to 12 and are now getting closer to be the first X Factor USA winner, and will receive the $5-million dollar recording contract prize.

During the two-and-a-half hour show, judges Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, and Nicole Scherzinger selected one contestant each from their group that will be eliminated while Simon Cowell chose two girls.

For the girls, Tiah Tolliver and Simone Battle were sent home while Drew Ryniewicz, Rachael Crow, and Melanie Amaro, who received a standing ovation that night, entered the Top 12.

For the boys, L.A. Reid picked Phillip Lomax as the one to be sent home and retained Chris Rene, Marcus Canty and rapper Brian “Astro” Bradley, who turned 15 last August 4.

Paula Abdul eliminated The Brewer Boys from the “Groups” category and sent Lakoda Rayne, InTENsity and Stereo Hogzz to the top 12.

On the other hand, Nicole Scherzinger decided for “Over 30s” group and chose Dexter Haygood to be eliminated while retaining LeRoy Bell, Stacy Francis, and Josh Krajcik; to complete the X Factor USA Top 12.

Meanwhile, this is the last time that judges will decide since Fox announced that fans can vote for the favorite via Facebook and Twitter, starting Wednesday, Nov. 2; with results to be revealed the next day.

Nevertheless, the X Factor USA noted that tweet votes are not counted. Instead, fans are being invited to their official Twitter account (@TheXFactorUSA) and send them a Direct Message containing the number of the act for whom they want to vote for.

The full instruction for Facebook users can be found on the official website at www.TheXFactorUSA.com. Verizon Android tablets users get the Xtra Factor App after logging in on their Facebook accounts.

Other methods of voting include via ‘Call’ using toll-free number for each contestant, or ‘Text’ via Verizon SMS/text voting, where a four-digit short code for each act after their performance.